If inequality is reduced, poverty, which is the goal of both the BJP and the Congress, can be eradicated faster. Therefore, eliminating inequality should be the main focus.
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In the ongoing general elections in the country, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has focused on 'New India' and India's future. The idea of remembering the golden age of the country's history and dreaming of a brighter future in all fields has always fascinated Indians. Especially Indians who are fed up with such 'undeveloped people in the third world' seem to like it more. It seems to be a symbol of the resurgence of India, which is slowly relinquishing the title of 'Third World Country'. The BJP has emphasized on exactly the same issues. India should start a number of new industries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to bring new ideas to the world and lead the world in the field of non-conventional energy.
On the other hand, the Congress party has re-chosen the old loophole of poverty alleviation. We will launch a 'surgical strike' on poverty, claims Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Foreign media is more interested in India's poverty myth. It is this foreign media that makes India see the progress it is making in the space sector, the startups and the IT industry that are emerging in different parts of India.
While all this is true, the problem of poverty and growing inequality in India persists today, and it cannot be denied. Multiple forms of poverty in India are a matter of real concern. According to the UNDP and Oxford Poverty and Human Development, about 36 crore people in India are still far from access to health, education and sanitation.
There are generally ten indicators of poverty worldwide. These include malnutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, school attendance, hygiene, cooking fuel, drinking water, electricity, housing and property. In 2017, India was ranked 53rd out of 105 developing countries. India's MPI (Multidimensional Poverty Index) rate was 0.121.
While India is making progress in many areas such as science, space and digital technology, the pace of growth of inequality in India is staggering. Although about 27 crore people were lifted above the poverty line between 2005-06 and 2015-16, efforts to divert economic flow from the rich to the poor have not been very successful. In ten years, the poverty rate has come down from 55 per cent to 28 per cent. That is, it has dropped by almost half. It should be noted that most of this time the country was ruled by a Congress-led UPA government.
It is a fact that the rich have benefited more than the poor in the Indian economy, which has a good GDP. Due to various obstacles, very few poor people have progressed to what is called middle class.
According to the 2018 Global Inequality Report, India ranks second in the world in terms of unequal distribution of wealth. In 2017, 73 per cent of the total wealth created in the country went to the richest 1 per cent. So, the wealth of 67 crore extremely poor Indians, half of the country's population, increased by only 1 per cent.
However, the number of billionaires (101) and billionaires (343,000) is increasing. Growing social and economic inequality affects health, education and infrastructure. Inadequate medical facilities put a heavy strain on families just above the poverty line. Even if one member of such a family falls seriously ill, the cost of his treatment will push the family below the poverty line. Similarly, due to lack of quality education, lack of skill development, inability to speak and write English, inability to increase communication, etc., equal opportunities are not available.
Whether it is the Modi government or the UPA government, reducing the disparity in the list of economic reforms of both the governments is not a priority. Inclusive development does not have a central place in their development ideas. Modi has claimed that under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, 50 crore poor people in the country are getting Rs 5 lakh each for treatment. Jandhan accounts were started so that the grants of the central government schemes could go directly to the bank accounts of the poor. Provided free cooking gas to poor families. This is due to the meager provision made by the NDA government and previous UPA governments for public health.
Inadequate distribution systems and the lack of social security for 90 per cent of workers in the unorganized sector have led to a decline in living standards. There is a dearth of jobs even in the organized sector. Young people in rural and urban areas are hoping for government jobs. However, there is a huge difference between the available seats and the number of candidates. With 6.7 per cent unemployment in the economy, people have no choice. They have to be content with low pay and low quality employment. This is a big blow to women who are out of the house in search of employment opportunities. Many women have given up hope of jobs. As a result, women make up only 24 per cent of India's total workforce. This is even lower than the world average. Women are being thrown out of the development process.
Even during the UPA government, many schemes like MGNREGA, Right to Food, Right to Education, Indirect Grants were implemented for the poor. However, the government's efforts to improve the living standards of workers in the unorganized sector by providing them with inclusive development remained largely unfulfilled. The NDA government has undertaken a comprehensive program to provide various types of insurance cover to workers in the unorganized sector. But much remains to be done.
Inequality is a major cause of poverty. Therefore, whichever political party comes to power, that party should give priority to serious issues like inequality. If inequality continues to grow, even if our economy reaches резреж 10 trillion, the Third World seal on our country will not be erased. According to Oxfam, India ranks 132nd out of 152 countries in the world in terms of anti-inequality commitment. These are the consequences of very low financial provision on health, education development, non-imposition of high taxes on the rich, non-protection of workers' rights. Extreme inequality makes democracy hesitant. The politics of corruption and vested interests. On the other hand, if inequality is reduced, poverty, which is the goal of both the BJP and the Congress, can be eradicated faster.
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